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Sandoval, Giants blast Pirates

Sep 8, 2008 - 12:58 AM By Al Barba PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Placing an eye toward the future, the San Francisco Giants had six rookies in their starting lineup against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.

Those youngsters came through in a big way as they sparked a 10-run inning and helped San Francisco to an 11-6 comeback victory over Pittsburgh in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday.

Rookie Pablo Sandoval led the young Giants' attack with a career-high five RBI, including a key three-run double and sacrifice fly in a 10-run fourth inning.

"I was trying to put the ball in play, get a pitch to hit and get a sacrifice fly," Sandoval said of the double. "The pitcher made a mistake, I hit it hard in the gap. For me, that was nice."

"From game one, he has played well and you can just see the confidence in this kid," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Wherever we put him, he has done a great job. He's a ballplayer. He likes to play and it shows. He plays with a lot of enthusiasm."

Osiris Matos (1-2), who allowed two runs in the top of the fourth, was credited with his first major league victory after pitching one inning in relief of starter Jonathan Sanchez.

"They (young players) played well. You get down five in one inning and then you are up five," Bochy said. "That's a pretty good swing, and it just got contagious. The kids played well today."

The Giants sent 14 batters to the plate and collected nine hits in the fourth as the first eight batters reached base safely before an out was recorded by Pirates starter Jeff Karstens. Fellow rookies Emmanuel Burriss and Nate Schierholtz contributed two hits apiece and scored three runs in the frame.

"That was a lot of fun. We need that," Burriss said. "Especially after the last couple of games. It's been shaky for us to get things started. Hopefully, that will get a snowball effect going for us."

The inning hurt in more ways than one for Pittsburgh, which lost center fielder Nate McClouth to an injury after his attempt to catch Sandoval's double. McClouth made a diving attempt and suffered a laceration above his left eyebrow after the ball bounced off the turf and hit him in the face.

"I was just lucky I had my glasses on," said McClouth, who needed six stitches to close the cut.

The 10-run inning was the first by the Giants since they accomplished the feat September 23, 2003 at Houston and first at AT&T Park, which opened in 2000.

"It was exciting. Hit after hit. We got on a roll and had a little luck, including me," Schierholtz said. "It worked out. We took the lead and held it."

Karstens (2-5) was the victim of the onslaught as the Giants sandwiched six straight hits between a pair of Pirates' errors. T.J. Beam relieved Karstens and allowed three hits and two runs before retiring the side.

"You can't explain it. You go from no hits to nine hits and 10 runs," Pirates manager John Russell said. "They found holes, hit balls down the line. It was just one of those outings. It's not like Karstens threw the ball bad. We just couldn't stop the bleeding."

Sanchez was touched for three runs - two earned - and five hits while surrendering two walks and striking out five in three innings. It was Sanchez' second start since returning from the disabled list and marked his second-shortest outing of the season.

All three runs allowed by Sanchez came in the third inning as he issued a pair of walks, hit a batter and allowed two hits.

The Pirates added to their lead in the fourth, scoring twice against Matos on an RBI double by McClouth and a sacrifice fly by Steve Pearce that gave Pittsburgh a 5-0 lead.